JACKSON — Natchez High School baseball topped Jim Hill 11-6 to move on to the championship game of the Jackson Public Schools Tournament Wednesday.

Natchez was down 1-0 after one inning, but a one-out homer from Derrick Lewis sparked a three-run second. The top of the Bulldogs’ order led off the third inning and added two more runs to give Natchez a 5-1 lead.

Natchez head coach Dan Smith said he was happy the home run came when it did, but he said the offense is more effective when it’s playing small ball.

“I was glad he hit that homer,” Smith said. “I like more base hits and gap-to-gap offense.”

Jim Hill retook the lead in the fifth inning when a few Bulldog errors and a triple brought the Tigers back into the game.

Natchez saved the small-ball offense for the sixth inning when Jatavis Melton’s leadoff single ignited a six-run rally for the Bulldogs.

“They were more patient at the plate and that sparked the rally,” Smith said. “Jatavis could be a leadoff hitter but I have him close to the bottom trying to balance the lineup.”

Lewis went 2-for-2 including a home run and a walk. Melton was 2-for-2 with two singles. Melton started the game on the mound and threw 5.0 innings and struck out four. Shavokee Herrington closed out the game and recorded one strikeout.

“(Melton) really did a good job and I had (Herrington) come in to shut the door,” Smith said. “We wanted to save pitchers for the next game.”

Callaway 7, Natchez 2

Natchez High School baseball finished second in the Jackson Public School baseball tournament this week, wrapping up play Wednesday afternoon with a 7-2 loss to Callaway High School.

The championship game ended after a three-hour time limited. The Bulldogs got through 4.5 innings before the game was called.

“I was proud of the kids because we got back from Jackson late (Tuesday),” Smith said. “I was proud how their bodies responded after two games (Tuesday) and then two more (Wednesday).”

Chris Scott started the game on the mound, but Smith said the defense behind him led to a rough first inning. The Bulldogs started the game down 5-0 to Callaway after the first inning.

“We had about five errors in that first inning,” Smith said.

The Bulldogs were unable to get a hit off pitcher Albert Hughes until the fifth inning. The Bulldogs sprung for two runs that inning with singles from Lewis and Melton, but the rally fell short, and the time limit prevented Natchez from another shot at a rally.